


Convention Adventures

by SaraJaye



Category: Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Actors, Conventions, F/M, Flirting, Friendship, Happy Fun Times, Road Trips, Shipping, Tacos, Talk of Dogs, Work Contains Fan(s) or Fandom(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-16 17:38:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16958520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: It's Cath's first-ever con, and she can't think of anyone she'd rather share it with than her boyfriend, her twin, and her surly friend who pretends she's not having a good time.





	Convention Adventures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Haywire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haywire/gifts).



When Simon Snow ended, Cath had worried the fandom might die down after some of the writers moved on to other series. A lot of them were into some new Netflix cartoon about space wars, which Cath personally didn't see the appeal of. She was a fantasy girl, through and through, and it was all she could do to keep her anxiety levels down when another author announced their leave of Simon Snow fandom.

"Fandoms never die," Wren reassured her. "Trust me, there's always one core group of people who will never let go no matter what. Even if we get a really bad sequel that retcons a whole bunch of stuff for shits and giggles." Sure enough, Wren was right. This weekend, Gemma T. Leslie and several of the movie actors were making an appearance at FantasyCon 2015 for a Q&A panel, and they were having a Simon Snow cosplay photo shoot.

Cath had never been to a con before, but she'd cosplayed for the premire of the movies and for the release of the books. Wren even asked if she was sure she wanted to go somewhere so loud and packed, but part of overcoming anxiety was diving headfirst into something, and Cath knew she could handle it now that Wren was back into the swing of the fandom scene.

Convincing Levi to go with them was easy, but Reagan was a bit of a challenge. She'd softened a little over time, but she still didn't "get" fandom and claimed she had better things to do than walk around a convention center watching people go nuts over books. When begging hadn't worked, Cath had offered to pick a hotel with a minibar and let Reagan raid it.

"I'm not wearing a costume, though," she said.

 

They drove upstate over a mostly clear road with only one traffic jam on the highway. Cath remembered a time when people left for cons a day early to avoid the traffic, but now that was such the norm that the only way to avoid it was to go _two_ days early. Or live within walking distance of the convention center.

They made it before it got dark, though, thank God. Cath and Wren had paid for the room and everything else in advance, so all they had to do was collect their badges and settle in. For Cath, the day before the con actually started _should_ always be the easiest, so she could save her energy for going from room to room and every event she could squeeze in.

"You're like a whole different person right now, and I'm not sure how I feel about that," Levi joked. "I remember a time where you lived on protein bars and peanut butter just so you didn't have to leave your dorm." Those days seemed so far away to Cath now, the days where she used fandom and fanfic as a way of hiding from a world she thought she didn't want to deal with. Before Reagan dragged her out for meals every day, before Levi made her feel things she'd never felt for a guy. Before Wren came back.

 _Wren._ Her sister was checking her bag for all the pieces of her Penelope costume, smoothing them out and hanging them in the closet one by one. Before the incident at the club, before the alcohol poisoning, before Dad got firm, Cath had been more or less resigned to Wren never caring about Simon again. Oh, she'd tried to get her to come back, but she'd figured sooner or later they'd both move on.

If things had turned out differently, if Wren hadn't ended up in the hospital that night, she might not even be here. She'd be off with her new friends. _Cath_ might not even be at ths con.

She hung the garment bag with her own Baz costume next to Wren's Penelope blouse with a smile. That night at the hospital had been one of the scariest nights of her life, but it had brought her and Wren back together.

"What're you so happy about?" Wren asked as they closed the closet door. Cath sighed, hugging herself and spinning around a bit. She had her sister. She had her amazing boyfriend, who was cosplaying the Simon to her Baz. She had her grumpy friend who was probably going to end up enjoying this more than she let on. And tomorow, she'd get to hear from the Simon Snow movie actors and maybe ask them a question.

"Everything!"

 

They ate dinner at a taco truck, because the restaurants were packed and everyone happened to be in the mood for Mexican. It was a far cry from Wren and Levi arguing over whether to stop at KFC vs. McDonald's on the way up.

"This is even better than _our_ taco trucks," Wren sighed. "All seven of them."

"No way. It's awesome, yeah, but there's only one Los Portales," Cath said. "And Los Portales is _special._ " Wren snorted, taking a long slurp of her orange soda.

"You realize their molé sauce was tomato soup mixed with tabasco and red pepper, right?"

"Of course! That's what made it so good," Cath said. "What's more comforting than tomato soup?" The taco trucks were in that zone between Taco Bell's obviously Americanized fakes (Cath would never understand putting _bacon_ on a taco) and those 100% authentic expensive Mexican restaurants; real, but not so real they'd scare away anyone trying non-Taco Bell for the first time. And tomato soup was one of the few things she remembered learning to make for herself.

Wren kept promising she'd take Cath to her and Jandro's favorite "real" Mexican place someday.

"At least with food trucks you know you're getting something real," Reagan said, snapping Cath out of her thoughts. "I can't eat fast food anymore after all the news stories and blog reports about the garbage they put into it."

"Reagan, you ate a bag of M&Ms with breakfast this morning," Levi teased. "You're really so concerned about healthy eating habits?"

"Healthy habits nothing, it's all about taste, and it explains why the last time I ate a burger at McDonald's it tasted like shit," Reagan retorted, tossing her shredded, sauce-stained napkin into the trash.

"The burgers are still okay to me, it's those fish sandwiches I can't stand." Wren wrinkled her nose. "Dad loves them." Cath grinned, slurping the last of her Coke.

"He'll get to eat as many as he likes with us gone for the weekend, then." She took another bite of burrito, and secretly wondered if there was a little Campbell's magic in this truck's sauce as well. If not, they certainly could replicate it.

 

They barely got any sleep that night. Between Cath's anxiety, Wren's chatter, Levi's questions and Reagan pretending she wasn't curious as she kept telling him to shut up, they must have gotten about three, maybe four hours total. And somehow, Cath was still showered and dressed before the others were even out of bed.

"I might as well go for the coffee run," she offered. "Pretty sure I know your orders by heart, but mind telling me anyway?"

"Wait, you're going alone? It's gonna be packed, you know," Wren mutters as she sits up in bed, her hair looking like a bird's nest. "Even if you're more okay with crowds now it could take forever."

"Not with the app." Cath held up her phone. "And I just charged my card." Levi had given her a gift card for Christmas, and Reagan had primed her on the benefits of membership even if Cath didn't go to Starbucks _every_ day. Right now, that card and the app would be lifesavers.

Even Wren's complicated secret menu latte was ready by the time Cath made it to the Starbucks, all she had to do was drop a tip into the jar and offer a surprised thank-you to the barista who handed her a box of sour cherry scones.

"Free for all con-goers," he said. "The manager's a big Snow fan." Cath barely held back her squee as she thanked him again.

By the time she got back to the room, everyone was up and dressed and there was a tray of egg sandwiches on the desk.

"Figured we could use a filling breakfast, and room service is awfully fast," Levi said with a grin. "What's in the box?"

" _Ohmygosh!_ " Wren squealed. "Are these..."

"Sour cherry, Simon's fave," Cath said with a grin. "Special con freebie!" Reagan raised an eyebrow, taking her cup from the cardboard tray.

"So what, you get free stuff for being a nerd?"

"Hey, if other places offer this kind of thing I'll gladly be one," Levi said, taking a sip of his drink. Reagan rolled her eyes.

"You became one the moment you fell in love with Cath." Cath blushed, taking a sip of her latte. Sometimes she still couldn't believe she, Cather Avery, was _living_ the kind of thing she'd written about over a hundred times. Okay, so Levi wasn't a vampire and they didn't dance passionately on the ramparts under the moonlight. But a country boy, pumpkin spice cookies, and stargazing on his front porch was just as nice.

Besides, he often said when she read to him, he felt like he was right there on those ramparts. It was one of the greatest compliments a writer could receive.

"We should check in with Dad before we go," Wren said. "He's doing better, but I know Cath still worries." And she always would. Cath was a worrier, especially when it came to a father who was just learning to take care of himself and build a life outside work and the home.

"I hope Kate stops by. He always seems to feel better when she's around," Cath said as she set down her drink, picked up her phone and fired off a quick text.

_Glad you got there safe, have fun. Kate's coming over, gotta put on new aftershave._

Cath shot a grin at Wren and showed her the text. Wren smiled, polishing off the last of her scone.

"Good."

 

The morning was a whirlwind of chatter, costumes, music, and pictures. For every picture she or Wren took, someone hit them up for a photo op. SnowBaz, Penelope and Micah, the Bunce siblings, Agatha; Cath had never had her picture taken so many times. It was overwhelming, but good practice for tomorrow's cosplay photo shoot.

The merch tables were crazy. Even the fantasy fandoms Cath wasn't into had some nice stuff, and she even caught Reagan going starry-eyed over a pricey figure of a sorceress.

"Want me to get it for you?" Cath offered. "I've got a ton of money even after we paid for the hotel and everything." Reagan blushed.

"Hey, I'm not exactly the poor tagalong here! I've got cash...and who said I wanted it, anyway? I don't even know where she's from!"

" _Dragonhunter_ ," the salesboy said with a grin. "It's a niche game series, but it's finding its footing. This one's got a customizable avatar, but the lady you're eyeing there is Niza, one of the best magic users in the most recent title." He went on and on, and to their surprise, Reagan actually listened.

Then again, he was a fairly good-looking man with a streak of pink in his hair and a snake tattoo on his forearm. He seemed like Reagan's type. By the time he was done, she'd bought the figure and ordered the game on her phone.

"Good thing I get paid next week, this is gonna set me back like crazy," she said. "Also, you're not allowed to tell anyone outside our little square about what a nerd I just was." The guy winked.

"Nothing wrong with being a nerd. Hey, take this, too." He handed her a card, and Reagan grinned.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Cath stifled a giggle, and when she and Reagan turned around Wren and Levi were grinning, too.

"Nice! See, we told you you'd have a good time!" Wren cheered.

"Way to go, Reagan," Levi added, then shot a glance at the salesboy. "You be good to her!" Reagan glared at him.

"Must you?" He dodged her swat.

"Yes, because it's the ex-boyfriend's sworn duty to be a good friend and look out for his ex-girlfriend. And _you_ better be good to _him,_ missy. Maybe this time you'll finally settle down?" he teased. Reagan sighed, hugging Niza's box to her chest.

"You're such a dope. That's the real reason we didn't work, cause you're a dope." Levi shrugged.

"Guilty as charged, Now come on, the panel's gonna start soon," he said. "I can't believe I get to meet _Penelope Bunce_ in person at last! Hey, are they doing autographs? Cause if they are, I've gotta get hers." Cath giggled. Levi was and always would be the biggest Penelope fanboy she knew, and it was the most adorable thing ever.

"I think Julie Alden usually gives hers out regardless, you might just have to wait till the panel's over."

 

They listened to Ben Freeman, Damon Conner, Julie, David McIntyre, and Eliza Walsh discuss their experiences filming the movies, little tidbits even the "making of" features on the DVDs hadn't covered. How Ben and Damon had been best friends from the start, making Simon and Baz's early scenes difficult to film; by contrast, Ben and Eliza had taken a long time to warm up to each other.

"I was the mom friend," Julie said with a chuckle. "That made playing Penelope so easy, she was always trying to look out for Simon!" Levi gave a cute little sigh.

"Isn't she great?" he whispered.

Finally, the floor opened to fans' questions, and Cath knew she wanted to ask one. She'd gone over them in her head last night, knowing which ones were a Bad Idea (anything related to shipping, much as she ached to know if Simon/Baz ever had a chance; she didn't want to cause a riot like that one girl who asked about the guys in that space cartoon last year) and which _she_ would feel comfortable asking. She'd finally picked one at around three in the morning.

"Ms. Walsh, I still remember that little scene in The Eighth Dance where Agatha mentions wanting to adopt a dog. What kind do you think she'd ultimately end up getting?" she asked. Elisa _grinned,_ her expression showing she'd clearly thought about this a lot.

"I've narrowed it down to either a collie or a golden retriever," she said. "Agatha loves almost all dogs, but she'd want a friendly one who'll cuddle with her on a bad day or keep her warm in the winter, or one she can play fetch with. And she'd spoil that dog rotten, treat them like they were her own child."

The sheer volume of _awwww_ s from the crowd was overwhelming, until one woman spoke up.

"See, I always imagined Agatha being more of a cat person. They're elegant and low-maintenance, and I remember seeing a lot of fanart of her with a Persian or a Siamese," she said. "So I was surprised when it turned out she was a dog lover!"

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Elisa said with a chuckle. "I thought so myself, when I first won the role, but it turns out those are the reasons Agatha _wouldn't_ want a cat. They don't need you as much, and Agatha, she likes to feel needed. That was the impression I got from reading her."

"So who _is_ the cat person?" a boy asked.

"Micah," David said quickly. "Definitely Micah. His mom had a cat, the cat had kittens, he got used to being around them."

"And yes, Penelope is totally fine with this," Julie said with a wink. Other questions began to pour from the fans then, Cath listening to every word. Some interesting tidbits about the books came to light, like Gemma having to fight to make Trixie gay even though she was just a side character as well as her original plans for Simon's parents before she even wrote the first book. And to her surprise, Damon had thought at first that Baz was supposed to be in love with _Simon,_ not Agatha.

It wasn't confirmation of possible canon Simon/Baz, but it made her smile nonetheless.

 

"You know," Cath mused as they sat down to lunch at a nearby Jersey Mike's, "maybe it'd make Dad feel even better if _he_ got a dog. Then we'd have one to visit for the holidays."

"Just make sure it's a small lazy one," Levi said. "Or maybe a cat would be better. They don't have to be dragged out into the snow to pee on cold mornings."

"But they knock things over," Reagan said. "My mother's cat is an asshole who never stayed off of my desk." Wren smiled, swallowing a bite of her tuna and veggie sub.

"Kate has a dog," she said. "And a caramel latte says she brought him over to visit with Dad."

Cath suddenly had a feeling their house would be a little more crowded this Christmas, and she was totally okay with that.


End file.
